Collapsible stand structure



July 15, 1930.

J. IRONSIDE OLLAPSIBLE STAND STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1926 IINVE NT0R. kzmesl rvnslde ATTORNEY.

July 15, 1930. J IRQNSIDE 1,770,574

COLLAPSIBLE STAND STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 4) 1926 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. damee 15'0 ns/de A TTORNE Y.

. Patented July 15, 1936 iii rse stares earner series JAMES IRONSIDE, 0F DETRGIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGIQ'MENTSQTO CLAYTON & LAMBERT MANUFACTUBING'CO., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORA- TION OF DELAWARE COLLAPSIBLE STAND '$TR'UCTURE Application filed September 4, 1926. Serial No. 133,573.

This invention relates to Collapsible stand structure and particularly to the two-stage type of stand structure wherein the sections areextensible to support the stand at various heights. r

The object of this invention is the provision of a novel auxiliary unit adapted to be extended to support the stand-and also adapted to be collapsed to permit folding of the stand in a minimum space, said auxiliary unit and the leg sections thereof, in addition to being easily. collapsed, are also so arranged in combination with the various positioning and supporting parts therefor as3to'--present a stand-structure of the utmostrigidity and compactness. The leg sectionsof this auxiliary-supporting unit are preferably pivoted to the stand frame and are so designed asto be automatically locked when extended to Y supporting or reinforcing position, the auto;

Inatic locking means being such as togive the pivoted leg sections considerable reinforcing action to insure rigidity when in such. ex-

tended supporting or reinforcing position.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my novel twostage stand structure f withv both the inner and outer unitsextended, theouter unit rein forcing the inner unit. 0

and compression member, orthe reinforcing.

link for the outer or auxiliary leg sections Fig. dis a sectional elevation taken transversely of the stand and illustrating the preferred-form and positioning of the various cooperating parts of the outer leg'sections, and the supporting and locking means therefor.

5 is a'fragmentary sectional view'similar to Fig. i but showing one of the leg sec- 'tions in a position just prior to being forced into locking position against the resilient retaining member;

.Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of "Fig.4.

shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and angular in formation, although it will be understood that such frame member 1 may be'of any desired formation or structure. Pivoted to this frame member l, as at 2and 3, are the main leg sections 4 and 5 which preferably'fold longitudinally of the stand about such pivots 2 and 3. Theseleg sections preferably include two legs connected by the cross pieces 6. The pivots 2 and 3 are preferably spaced at a dis tance from the ends of the frame member 1 whereby the leg sections 4 and 5 are prefer- F ably positioned at an angle, as clearly illustratedin Fig. 1. V

This foldablesection forms a part of the present invention in that such inner section is reinforced when in extended'position, as

shown in Fig. 1, outer foldable sections,

and further, in that such inner main foldable leg sections are retained in collapsed position 'byt-he collapsing of such outer sections.

This outer reinforcing section comprises the leg sections? and 8 which are foldable about thepivots 9 and 10, andtransversely of the frame member 1. The respective legs of I each leg section '1' and 8 are connected by the suitable corrugated reinforcing members 11. The pivots 9 and .10 are preferably positioned as close as possible to the angular sides of the frame 1, as shown in Fig. 4, and the upper ends of the legs of the leg sections 7 and 8 are preferably arc'uate in shape, asshown, to permit pivoting of the leg sections about'such pivots 9 and 10.. By pivoting the outer leg sections,'as at 9 and 10, and by reinforcing the same by the members 11, it will be obvlous that the legs of such section are fitted snugly,

i when extended, into the corners of the frame member 1, and in positions vertical to the plane of such frame member 1. This positioning and reinforcing of the outer leg sections serves to reinforce the inner main leg sectio as illustrated in Fi 1, and is more fully escribed in said pending application above referred to.

Ifthe leg sections 7 and 8 depended for their rigidity on the positioning of the pivots 9 and 10, and the contacting of the angular legs with the angular structure of the frame member 1, it would be obvious that in time considerable wear will take place, thus making the stand slightly wobbly and particularly when the inner leg sections 4 and 5 were collapsed, and only the outer shorter leg used for sup orting the stand. To

overcome this possibi ity of the wearing of tthepivots and to make the entire stand structure, as well as the outer unit, more rigid, I have provided a reinforcing structure which (legends for its operation on the cooperation of general parts. These parts going to make upthis reinforcing and locking structure ineluding mp1s preferably angular in cross sect-ion and stamped from a single piece of metal. the shorter leg of the angle being provided with apertures 13 to permit suitable fastening to the upper leg of the angle forming the frame member 1, as clearly illustrated in 7. The other leg of this member 12 is provided with suitable slots 14 which extend longitudinally of the member 12 and whichslets are provided at their outer ends with suitable locking depressions or guideweyslfi which are inclined downwardly rel ative-to the gpideways 14;

These mem rs 12 are adapted to be positinned at each end of the frame 1 and centrally thereof, as shownin Fig. 4. A s'uit able link 16, which is. adapted to serve as a tension and compression member, is pivoted to of the legs of the leg sections 7 and fies at 17, and at the other end such link is provided with a suitable pin 18 which is adapted to fit in and cooperate with the guidewa-ys 14 and 15 formed in the locking member 12.

The member 12 is provided with a suitable spring member 19 which may be seate in shape and so positioned whereby as the section is moved outwardly, as shown in F455, and the pin gradually presses against ercuate portion of the spring member 19,

we looking and guiding member 12 such end will be positively forced into the portion 15 of the guideway to positively lock the legs rigidly in extended position. In other words, as the pin 18 is moved to its outer position against the tension of the arcuate spring 19, it will pass the arcuate portion on the spring just as it reaches the point 20, at which time it will be positively forced down into the gnideways 15 by the arcuate portion of the spring 19. It will be obvious that if such spring Were merely straight and producing a general tension on the pins 18 that the leg sections might be moved to approximately extended position and be held in such approximate position by the friction, with the result, that upon placing any weight upon the table that such leg or legs might collapse. By the present construction the tendency of the operator is to fully extend the legs of the outer unit, and this tendency is assisted by the positive action of the spring in forcing the locking pins into positive locked position. A further feature of this arcuate shape of the spring 19 is that such pins 18 are held in the angular guideways 15' by such arcuate portion of the spring whereby it is not easy to collapse the stand except upon positive removal of the tension exerted by the springs.

In the operation of this novel, automatic lockinggand rigid stand structure it will be obvious that in order to extend the outer shorter legs to supporting position that it will only be necessary to move the leg sections outwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the pins 18 sliding in the guideways 14 will contact with the arcuate portions of the spring members 19 until the outward movement overcomes the tension of the springs and such pins are positively forcedinto the angular locking guideways 15. As the pin moves downwardly into the uideways 15 the leg sections 7 and 8 are posltively moved to their outer vertical position. When once in this position, it will be obvious that the links 16 serve as positive tension and compression members, due to this angular positioning of the; g'uideways 15, whereby the legs of the leg sections 7 and 8 are positively reinforced in both directions-thus making an extremely rigid and compact supporting unit when only the outer unit is used for supporting the stand, as shown in Fig. 4, and also serving as a rigid reinforcing unit for reinforcing the inner main leg sections when they are utilized to support the stand. By the arrangement shown considerable leverage is obtained, thus giving extremely rigid support to the leg sections 7 and 8.

In collapsing the outer legsections, it is necessary to either press upon the links 16 to force the arcuate springs 19 outwardly, or pressure may be applied to the pins 18 whereby to press the spring members 19 and thus permit collapsing of the leg sections. It will be obvious that this is a very simple operation as only one hand need be required in actuating the links 16 to depress the springs 19.

The parts comprising the members 12, links 16, and leg members 7 and 8 are so positioned and so cooperate that when folded into collapsed position a certain amount of friction is set up due to thecontact of suchrelative parts, as shown in Fig. 6, whereby when the shorter leg sections are collapsed they will assist in maintaining the entire structure in collapsed position due to the frictional contact. It will be obvious that such spring members 19 be formed to resiliently con tact with the pins 18 at all times, but I have found that the parts may be maintained in collapsed position merely by the frictional contact of such parts.

The base of the stand structure, and more particularly the inner main unit, may be provided with suitable shelf units and 31, which may be pivoted together and extended so as to reinforce the inner unit by means of the cantilever action set up by such unit and by means of the contact between the shelf'sections and the cross members 6, s is more fully explained in the said copending application.

It will thus be seenthat I have provided a simoie. com )actbut ri idstand structure the l a a extended, as in Fig. 4. This slot being 'arcuate makes the link 16 an accurate tension and compression member, but it Wlll be understood that fairly good results may be obtained by forming such slot at an angle to the guideway 14, and approximately perpendicular to link 16, in the position shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus described-my invention, what I claim is: p

1. A collapsible stand structure adapted to be extendedto a plurality of heights comprising an inner and outer unit mounted on the same side of acominon frame member, one

7 other, link members pivoted to the legs of one of said units being adapted to reinforce the of said units, and means secured to the frame member and adapted to receive and position said link members to form tension and comthereto, one of said leg units adapted to reinforce the other, a connecting link connected to a leg unit, and resilient means tending to move said link to a reinforcing position when said leg unit is moved towards its extended position, said resilient means being easily retracted by pressure on said connecting means to permit folding of said leg unit.

3. A collapsible stand structure comprising a frame, an inner unit and an outer unit for supporting the frame, one of said units being adapted to reinforce the other when the other is in operative position, and a connecting link between one of said units and said frame adapted to strengthen the same when in reinforcing position. v

4. A collapsible stand structure comprising a frame, inner and outer leg sections pivoted to the frame and movable to supporting and collapsible positions, one of said leg sections adapted to reinforce the other, a reinforcing member pivoted to one of the leg sections, a guide device fixed tothe frame having a guide way substantially parallel to the frame and having anotch extending at an angle to the frame, means on the reinforcing member slidably engaged in this guide way, a spring fixed tothe framehaving a curved portion which projects into the path of the means on the reinforcing member with the apex of the I curve lying substantially at the point where the guide way and notch connect, whereby the means in the guide Way is held-in the notch by the spring and the spring is flexed by said means both when the means enters the notch and leaves the notch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JAMES 'IRONSIDE. 

